Information About the Hormone Estrogen (Oestregen)

How does estrogen work?

Estrogen in females works as a messenger during each mensual cycle. Estrogen together with ovarian hormones, signals cells in the breast to divide and multiply. Estrogen also signals the cells of the uterus to divide.

Other hormones signal the ovaries to make estrogen, and then the ovaries force estrogen into the bloodstream. Estrogen travels through the blood, but only travels to the cells that have estrogen receptors like the breast and uterus.

Estrogen has a shape that allows it to fit into an estrogen receptor the same way a key fits into a lock. The estrogen and the estrogen receptor bind to form a unit that enters the nucleus of the cell and this begins a series of events that turns on estrogen-responsive genes. These genes tell the cells to make proteins that signal the cells to carry out important activities. Some of these signaling proteins can tell the cell to divide.

Estrogen is mainly produced by the ovaries, the corpus luteum, and the placenta. Since men usually don’t have these they have to rely on secondary estrogen producing organs to produce estrogen. This is one reason why males don’t have as much estrogen as females. Secondary organs are the liver, adrenal glands, and the breasts.

Controlling the Reproductive Process

To stop the reproductive process by use of hormones people usually need to take the pill. The pill works by thinking the mucus around the cervix. This makes it difficult for sperm to enter the uterus and reach any eggs that may have been released. The pill can sometimes also affect the lining of the uterus making it difficult for the egg to attach to the wall of the uterus. The pill contains mainly the hormones estragon and progesterone.

Another kind of pill is the low-dose progesterone pill, sometimes called the mini-pill. The difference is that the progesterone pill contains only progesterone. This pill can sometimes affect ovulation as well as all the other this that the normal pill does. The problem with this pill is that it must be taken more regularly.

Taking the pill can have side effects from sitting in the sun to long. If you sit in the sun to long while taking the pill your face can go brown and takes months to fade away. Taking the pill while smoking can increase the risk of blood clots. Other side effects include moods change, breast tenderer, headaches, dizziness and weight gain.